Russia and Ukraine: Will They Face Each Other at the 2024 Olympics?

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The 2024 Olympics, set to commence in Paris on Friday, promises to be a significant event on the global stage, not only for its athletic competition but also for the geopolitical tensions that loom over it. With the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and strained relations between the U.S. and countries like Iran and China, the backdrop of these Games is more charged than usual.

 

Despite these global tensions, athletes from around the world will be expected to set aside international disputes and exhibit exemplary sportsmanship. Among these athletes are participants from Russia and Ukraine, potentially leading to direct competitions between them. This is particularly noteworthy given that, technically, Russia has been banned from the Games.

 

Following President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Russian athletes will compete as "Individual Neutral Athletes" (AIN). This decision by the organizers means that while Russian athletes can participate, they cannot represent their country officially. The Russian flag, national kit, and anthem are all banned from the venues. Furthermore, any medals won by Russian athletes will not count towards the official Paris 2024 medal table. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stipulated that these athletes must not have actively supported the war or have any connections to the Russian military. Additionally, no Russian teams are allowed to compete, and the governing body of World Athletics has banned Russian track and field athletes.

 

These sanctions have significantly reduced the number of Russian competitors at the Games. Whereas 335 Russian athletes competed in Tokyo 2020, only 15 are expected in Paris. Some Russian athletes who had accepted invitations were later rejected by their sport’s governing bodies. For instance, Russia's weightlifting federation declined invitations for 10 athletes, citing an "unsportsmanlike selection principle."

 

President Putin has criticized the IOC’s conditions, accusing them of "ethnic discrimination" and claiming that the restrictions aim to marginalize Russian athletes. "If the IOC's artificial conditions are designed to cut off the best Russian athletes and portray at the Olympics that Russian sport is dying, then you need to decide whether to go there at all," Putin said last year. The IOC has firmly denied these accusations, stating, "Participation in the Olympic Games is by no means a human right," and emphasizing that the restrictions respond to breaches of the Olympic Charter by the Russian and Belarusian governments.

 

Despite the challenges, some prominent Russian athletes are set to compete in Paris. This includes former world number one tennis player Daniil Medvedev, along with six other tennis players, three canoeists, three road cyclists, one trampoline gymnast, and one swimmer. Ukrainian athletes are also expected to participate in similar disciplines, setting the stage for potential direct competitions between Russians and Ukrainians.

 

The IOC has acknowledged the complex situation for Ukrainian athletes who may find themselves competing against Russians. "We are glad that they will be given this opportunity [to compete in the Games], and at the same time, we are aware of the difficult inner conflicts they may have, given the aggression against their country," the IOC stated. They have encouraged International Federations to manage these situations with sensitivity and reiterated their solidarity with Ukrainian athletes.

 

This situation is not unprecedented for Russia, which faced an Olympic ban in 2018 after an investigation revealed state-sponsored doping. Many Russian athletes were banned for life or had their medals stripped, though some were allowed to compete as "clean" athletes under the banner of the "Russian Olympic Committee" (ROC), rather than Russia itself.

 

Credit: Newsweek 2024-07-26

 

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[newbee2022]

These question should have been sorted prior to the Olympic Games.

[cncltd1973]

I worry about terrorism in Paris more than who will be sporting the games

[RayC]

It's a non story; nothing new here. Russian athletes have been competing as individuals at world championships since the war in Ukraine started. Whether they should be permitted to do so is another matter.